450 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



10 feet high and the wall is 7 inches thick, reinforced with barb- 

 ed wire — one strand near the outside and one near the inside every 

 foot apart. The foundation is 8 inches of crushed rock on a firm 

 earth. The bottom is 5 inches thick, placed on this 8 inches of tamped 

 broken stone. The mixture is 1 part cement, 2 parts sand and 3 

 parts clean creek gravel. (Cost $80.00.) 



REFLECTIONS 



Concrete requires careful proportioning, mixing and curing. 



Cement buildings should not be plastered directly upon the con- 

 crete wall. 



Concrete beams, and any concrete with a span of over 4 feet, 

 should be reinforced. 



Build concrete fence posts in a warm shed or in the basement 

 during the winter. They will be better for the weeks of seasoning. 



Never apply cement or concrete to a dry or foul surface. Clean 

 and dampen the surface, and if necessary, roughen it. 



Use clean water and clean ingredients. Mix thoroughly and 

 put into place at once. Do not guess at measurements and propor- 

 tions. 



Concrete yet in the plastic state must be handled with care. It 

 should be well aged before handling and Avell set before removing 

 the forms. 



For sidewalks and floors use a tamper with a base 10 or 12 

 inches square, and tamp gently till the water appears on the sur- 

 face. 



Concrete houses will be damp until the concrete has well 

 seasoned. The hollow wall will make a dryer building, warmer in 

 winter and cooler in summer. 



Never use cement that has once set. Throw it away or crush 

 it up to be used as aggregate. Never patch concrete if it can be 

 avoided— patch work will sooner or later be seen or become de- 

 fective. 



Cement must be kept perfectly dry. When storing be sure that 

 dampness from the ground or otherwise does not reach it. If ex- 

 posed for a period in damp weather, cement will absorb moisture 

 from the air and be injured. 



When making blocJcs in the open air, cover the finished blocks 

 with some light cloth to protect them from the air currents and 

 the sun. Never fail to keep the green block moist — let the spraying 

 resemble a mist. 



